This concert of sacred music will take place, appropriately enough, in the beautiful Church of the Assumption, and will raise funds for its ongoing restoration. The Messenger Choir will perform music from the Baroque era up until the Contemporary period, including some pieces from Asian and New Zealand composers. There will be solos, duets, chamber choir, female choir, male choir and main choir pieces. A quartet of musicians from the Musica Sinfonietta will accompany the choir, and will also perform two orchestral numbers. The church’s newly renovated pipe organ will accompany the opening piece.
The Messenger Choir was formed in 2010 by a group of around 30 singers from various church choirs in Penang. The choir is led by Khoo Hooi Lay, who graduated from South Australia with the Pro Musica Award (Most outstanding Bachelor of Music student) in 1989, and won a South Australian Government Scholarship which enabled her to study in Detmold Musikhochschule in Germany. Upon returning to Malaysia, she was appointed as the Choral Conductor of the Penang State Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (PESSOC). She coaches voice professionally and frequently judges vocal competitions.
A sample of their previous concerts can be listened to here: https://www.facebook.com/Themessengerspenang/videos/1776841572597489/
The Messenger Choir performs regularly in Penang and elsewhere. Recently they participated in the 23rd World Chinese Church Music Conference. This is the fifth George Town Festival at which they have performed.
The concert takes place on Sunday 7th August at 8pm and lasts around two hours.
Entrance will be by minimum donation of RM 15, and you are encouraged to register at http://ptix.co/1RLSVdy.
The Church is at the Farquar Street end of Love Lane, opposite Convent Light Street School.